Q: Can a collision in the front of my car cause a mass air flow sensor to malfunction? I need to make a claim for the insurance.

Unless the sensor has been physically damaged by the accident you were in, it would be impossible to know if it was damaged by the accident or not. The MAF sensor is a common sensor to fail on these vehicles and can get contaminated with debris and oils from aftermarket oil type air filters or not changing the paper air filter often enough and these contaminants will foul the MAF sensor and cause it to fail. If you feel the sensor only failed immediately after the accident then try and get the insurance to cover it. You may have a hard time getting it covered by them. If you need a mechanic like one from YourMechanic to test and replace mass air sensor then set up an appointment and quote.